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Art exhibition: Unfinished Narrative

Ryubiho, East Wind Or Two Of Hearts #1_In the Incompleteness of the Present, 2012

Words: Ambica Gulati

Stories untold, times gone by, lots to say and lots to explore…there is always something more to be said and done… This is what I saw in the exhibition Unfinished Narrative at the Korean Cultural Centre, Delhi. Five artists and five different ways of expressing their stories.

A modern approach to art, they have used diverse media to show the Korean passage of modernization—through video, installation, sculpture, photography. But what caught my attention was the huge wooden structure with a television screen on top. The theme goes on to tombstones and long roads and more.

The exhibition has been organized by the Korean Cultural Centre and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) and is the fifth edition of this annual affair by the Residency at an international Korean Cultural Centre. This is the first time it’s being held in India and Asia.

As live Hindustani music (sitar by Acharya Biswajit) played in the background, I spent a few moments chatting with the Curator and Program Manager, National Art Studio, Changdong, Kim Yumi to know how she brought this exhibition to India. Excerpts:

What made you choose India?We have similar roots which can be traced to Buddhism. India and Korea have experienced similar turmoil with colonial rule and migrations. The changes in both countries have a common thread.

How have you kept abreast of what would appeal to the Indian art connoisseurs?I have been in touch with art directors in India.

How do you select the artists for this Residency programme?Out of 600 artists, we chose five for this year’s exhibition. We supported them with the studio and other things. We have two places for this programme—MMCA Residency Changdong, MMCA Residency Goyang.

What do you hope to achieve with this exhibition?We hope to have dialogue on modern art with the Indian counterparts and make it a more international framework.

Are these artworks also for sale?There are no commercial plans as yet.

Do you also have international artists in your Residency programme?Yes, we have had a younger generation of artists from Baroda visiting us earlier.

What all have you seen in Delhi?Red Fort and Gandhi Smriti, also Jama Masjid.